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    Estero Bluffs State Park

    4.7 (28 reviews)

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    Picture perfect
    Rachel J.

    Climbing a rocky beach is the best work out. Traipsed all over this beach for a few hours in early August. It was a great way to be active, and since we climbed down to the beach, we had way more fun checking out tide pools and seeing cool rocks than if we had stayed on the trail. Definitely one of the best beach hikes I've experienced and I can't wait to go back.

    R A.

    Love the Bluffs for a morning walk with the pup! We live in Cayucos and it's a short drive to get here and easy, beautiful walk.

    Mabel C.

    a cute and discreet hiking trail that leads to one of the most beautiful beaches ever!!!

    My daddy's rock. He would hug it whenever we visited :D very special place
    Eliza J.

    ESTERO BLUFFS is located in Estero Bay, Cayucos. Estero Bluffs was established as a State Park in the year 2000 to preserve and protect a very scenic part of the Central Coast. I would say about 300 acres consisting of tide pools, wetlands, indigenous plants, forever views and hiking trail, sea life in all its forms. Estero Bluffs is one of nature's many jewels located on the Central Coast. I've enjoyed the Bluffs for the past 15 years. What I find amazingly beautiful is how the Bluffs continue to change due to high/low tides, the win, sun. Every visit to the Bluffs showcases a different side of itself. Family and I enjoy kiting, hiking, beach combing, picnics at the Bluffs. I visit alone sometimes just to decompress :-) As you drive North or South on HWY 1, between Cayucos and the lil Town of Harmony, make time to stop, visit and enjoy this jewel :-)

    Frank W.

    We visited this state park, located just north of the Town of Cayucos, on our vacation. There are numerous pullouts to park on Route 1 along its 4 mile length. We chose the trailhead across from San Geronimo Road which is easily located by looking for a restored windmill on the ocean side. After a short walk down to the bluffs, we took the trail to the left and were rewarded with one beautiful vista after another. The trail is easily navigated with lots of side trails bringing one closer to the rocky coastline and crashing waves though at no time were we more than 300 yards away. Though we encountered a few people along the way, we generally felt we had the trail to ourselves.

    Tatyana E.

    I absolutely loved the secrecy and serenity of this place and that the city took the time to block off the area to preserve and maintain the wildlife. It was a pleasant surprise to turn out to this hidden gem of a place and it seemed like an excellent spot for engagement photos as well (for all you folks that might be in search of that). If my road travels should ever take me past this spot again, I'm definitely going to stop here every time.

    Marcus F.

    Fantastic place to stretch your legs and get some good Bluff walking in. If you use the google map marker you can see one of the many parking lots for these trails. If you miss that one, there are a few more North ( actually preferred). No matter where you park, there is a trail leading to the bluffs. Keep in mind that there will be no shade along these trails. My recommendation would be to walk toward the large hill as that makes for a good vantage point to view the whole Estero Bluffs park. If you have small kids, or are afraid of unprotected high places, this hill climb maybe not the best for you. The top is a box of rocks with rubble cascading down the hillsides. Great view, but a little scary too. - NOTE, be cautious around the bluffs. Someone not paying attention could fall off the cliff and get seriously hurt. One (Suicide) trail is basically a tight wire path which leads to a small outcropping of land. With about a food of stable width, one misstep right or left and you could die. Though it seems to be well used.. ( See picture )

    Chris D.

    This is a fantastic place to get some exercise. It's one of the vista stops between Morro Bay and Cayucos. It stands out from the others since you can see the long winding trail leading from the parking lot. Hike a few miles along a windy trail along a beautiful ragged cliffs of the coast. Just be careful and watch the ground as you walk. It's splitting apart into pitch black cracks and I'm sure in the future will be sliding off into the ocean. Scary stuff... enjoy it while you can and try not to break an ankle. Would not recommend taking kids on this hike due to the very dangerous hazardous conditions.

    Sherry C.

    Beautiful coastline right by the small town of Cayucos off of HWY 1. There are several parking lots to Estero Bluffs located along the stretch of the coast line and each lot allows easy access to the seaside with magnificent view of the coast and beach fronts overlooking the bluffs. This place is truly a hidden gem because not many people seem to stop by here. The reason may be because it just looks like a normal stretch of desolate green pasture by the coast. Once people get close enough by the bluffs looking down then they would realize the beauty that lies beyond these short cliffs. There are pockets of gradual slopes where people can descend down to the beach. The beach is pristine and very open with a wide assortment of rocks, seashells and coastal wildlife. Many locals come here to walk or run along the coastline. It's wonderfully relaxing to just sit on the rocks and enjoy the view.

    Elizabeth A.

    Beautiful area, path starts just north of cayucos. Beautiful scenery and path is easy to walk. Just a FYI, be careful, in some areas the cliff side is starting to slide into the ocean.

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    Took the kids to check out the shipwreck and look for treasures and we all loved it! Even got to see a cool giant sea slug.

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    If I could give it 10 stars I would! The best view ever! Love Cayucos and it's an easy walk for anyone. A must see!

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    2 years ago

    This place is awesome! The ghost ship is interesting, and there's lots to see if you walk along the shore.

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    2 years ago

    Nice little walk and trail. Pretty cool to see the "pirate ship wreck" so close to land. Kids enjoyed it

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    9 years ago

    gorgeous little gem on the way down the coast. looked great for the surfers too!

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    Ask the Community - Estero Bluffs State Park

    Review Highlights - Estero Bluffs State Park

    The reason may be because it just looks like a normal stretch of desolate green pasture by the coast.

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    Hardie Park- County of San Luis Opispo

    Hardie Park- County of San Luis Opispo

    4.5(2 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    Local Eval: Cute little neighborhood SLO County Park right in the middle of "nowhere". I visited a…read morefew weeks ago, added this "new" entry to Yelp without any "credit" [was prompted for an immediate review & pics], and was Tardy with my Hardie review. Hardie Park is rather cute and has both a summer use adult pool, along with a tot pool. The fees are reasonable [one day= $2 a kid/ $5 an adult & season passes are a bargain] and the schedule is on the SLO County Park website...where you can also find the plethora of other SLO County Parks, Pools, Golf Courses, Lakes, Hikes, etc... The two Tennis courts are free, at least according to the people who were playing there. In front of the pool is a interesting sculpture dedicated to two local Indian tribes [see pics]. On the other side of the street, is a large well groomed grassy area, where there are ample playgrounds for tots. The county wisely used what appears to be ground-up tires/rubber for safety. There is a large covered picnic table area with a huge BBQ for groups. In the overhead structure, there are controls for lights & even an AC outlet. One likely needs to reserve and pay for use on the SLO County website. Just behind this is a lazy serene creek, which is pleasant. The banks are deceptively muddy and slippery, which I found out the hard way! I wanted a water/mud sample to test under my home microscope system. As my wife yelled at me not to go down that way, that was the way I went...only to regret it, as one sneaker got wet, as I slipped. It took me a bit to extract myself, as I ran nowhere fast. My wife joked that I looked like a mouse running on one of those wheels in their cage! Somehow, I did not fall. Later I had my wife grab me a water sample. Since the creek looked to be only about 6 inches deep, it would typically only be messy for an adult...unless you twisted an ankle or worse! Apparently, since I did not learn my lesson about creek banks, I repeated this stupidity, the very next day with AG Creek, where I also slipped & grabbed a huge Stinging Nettle branch with both hands. MUCHO-Ouch! In any case, if an old fool like me can mess up with creeks, you can imagine what a mess kids can get into. My New Balance sneakers were soaked with tons of mud, while I had a pair of waterproof boots in the trunk. I can be quite a moron! In any case, this is a rather pleasant "unknown" county park in SLO County, that also happens to be right next to a public library. You then can grab some eats from town, a book to read, and then watch your kid[s] use up some of their boundless energy, swimming. The surrounding town is quiet, has humble accommodations, and marginal eats...but it is a good base of operations for points north, south, or east. Both charming Cambria and Morro Bay/Baywood/Los Osos are just a few miles away, and are filled with lots to explore. Since a number of the SLO County Parks do have summer daily use pools, it is a great feature for kids. In our area, only a few health clubs have decent pools, and only an expensive one has a nice outdoor Olympic sized pool [e.g. Avila Club]. So if you have visiting relatives with kids, who are pestering you to swim, and you know that they can get hypothermia from the Ocean, then these parks may be a god send for some. While the SLO County Pools are spread out, it may give you a great excuse to sight see, as you check out the area. If you need a relatively safe sheltered beach, there are parts of Avila Beach that have little wave action, lots of sand for a stroll, but the water is still icy cold. Avila is the most kid friendly beach. Ironically, even though I made the first "business" addition to Yelp, someone else apparently beat me to the first review [a non-local brief review seemingly targeted to "beat me" to the obviously "coveted" "First-to-review" title]. It was rather annoying, after I took considerably more time to research, explore, & take many pictures of this cute park...but no matter... as a local with tons of time on my hands, one of my new hobbies is to check out the plethora of the many County or local Parks, Attractions, Farmers Markets, in SLO county & beyond. My additional beef with the multitudes of non-local "tourist" brief reviews, is that many either over-glorify, or overly-trash places, that they may visit once, and typically lack a comparative/historical local context. You cannot expect this rural area to compete with urban areas. While it is a relatively "wealthy" area, with pricey housing, most things have to be trucked in, from the ports of Long Beach, or from the SF Bay area. There are no major ports in this area, since the demise of this area's big oil rigs & refineries eons ago. Avila Pier had a railroad that once brought oil out to the port from SLO [Tank Farm] & was a polluting eyesore. The entire town of Avila was dug up to remove many feet of oil soaked sand decades ago!

    Sweet little park. Play structure, covered picnic area, restrooms, large grass area, and access to…read morea creek. Within walking distance of downtown Cayucos and the beach. Clean and quiet.

    Photos
    Hardie Park- County of San Luis Opispo - Serene Creek in back of park.

    Serene Creek in back of park.

    Hardie Park- County of San Luis Opispo - Art dedicated to the Chumash & Salinan nations, with plaques donated by local members.

    Art dedicated to the Chumash & Salinan nations, with plaques donated by local members.

    Hardie Park- County of San Luis Opispo

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    Morro Strand State Beach - Morro Strand State Beach

    Morro Strand State Beach

    3.9(97 reviews)
    7.6 mi

    There is a beach right next to the behemoth Morro Rock in Morro Bay, CA. The beach access and…read moreparking is totally free. Yup, FREE. Sandy three mile stretch of beach from the Rock to the camp grounds. There are lifeguards on duty, all ready with their gear ready to save a life. I know they are there daily in the summer, not sure about the other months. This is a popular spot with surfers. Good waves. Another tidbit to know is that there are restroom located in the parking lot. Also smack in the middle of the lot is the California State Historical Marker #821-Morro Rock. I think it's worth a quick stop to read the plaque, take a quick moment to soak in the gorgeous direct view of the rock and not to get all sentimental but also reflect on the past, present and future. Another another tidbit is that dogs and horses are not allowed on the beach due to the protected shorebird habitat such as the western snowy plover that nest from March-September and live here. Service dogs on a leash are allowed though. But so many folks broke the rule once the lifeguards left for the day. Ironic, people want wildlife and nature to be able to visit and enjoy but don't want to follow the rules that protect all those things they enjoy. Go figure?!

    The last time I was at this beach, I was only 2 years old, so I don't have any memory of it. Last…read moreyear, I decided I wanted to take a trip here with my family. I've lived in California most of my life and have been to almost every beach, so it's funny that this one in Morro never really came to mind especially since it's not that far from us. When I finally came last year, I really enjoyed it. The beach was clean, beautiful, and peaceful. There were lots of sand dollars along the shore and even some wildlife, which made it feel even more special. Since that first trip, we've come back about four more times. There's just something about this place that makes me feel calm and at peace every time I'm here.

    Photos
    Morro Strand State Beach - Morro Strand State Beach

    Morro Strand State Beach

    Morro Strand State Beach - Morro Strand State Beach

    Morro Strand State Beach

    Morro Strand State Beach - Morro Strand State Beach

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    Morro Strand State Beach

    Maya Sailing Adventures - Homemade fish tacos for dinner!

    Maya Sailing Adventures

    4.5(8 reviews)
    7.3 mi

    The sailing experience was amazing! Terry was a great captain. He really put us at ease on the open…read moreseas and was very accommodating to our circumstances of our children getting seasick. He was able to make the trip fun despite having to change plans. This is a great social distancing activity because he has his section of the boat and the guests have the rest. We will definitely be sailing with him again!

    Our small little excursion with Captain Terry was incredible and so much more fun than I had ever…read moreimagined! The short story: you absolutely will not regret going on a trip with Maya Sailing Adventures! It's personal, private, beautiful, fun, easy, and so relaxing. The long story: my sister in law's wedding was postponed due to COVID-19. So the day of her wedding we planned a surprise sailing excursion with Captain Terry. My first impression was that he was incredibly easy to plan with. Everything was up to me. I could bring anything I wanted to make it a special night. It was so easy to plan and get all set up! So we set up a 4 hour sail around the bay for 4 people. After 2 hours he would drop my husband and I off and let my sister in law and her fiancé sail together for the last 2 hours. My biggest concern was that it wouldn't feel private enough for such a special occasion. No reason to worry at all, actually it was incredibly intimate and romantic and very private. If you'd like to chat with Captain, you can, but otherwise he is manning the boat and you are on our own in the front of the boat. It was so private and felt like we were on the boat by ourselves. I set up a charcuterie board and wine tasting with 5 different types of wines. Then we ordered a steak dinner from Windows on the Water and served it to them before they set sail on their own. That's the awesome thing about Maya - it's completely customizable for YOU. We sailed around the bay and relaxed and saw so many otters - mommas and babies! And even a baby seagull! Seeing the animals was so fun. My sister in law and fiancé then went out of the bay and sailed a little bit and saw A WHALE! I was so jealous. But seriously- how amazing? I CANT WAIT to do another trip with Captain Terry. One day, I would like to do the same thing but with only my husband and I... But my sister in law and her fiancé had a wonderful time and so did we. It was one of the best date nights of my life and I can't wait to do it again! You won't regret a sail with Captain Terry and Maya Sailing Adventure!

    Photos
    Maya Sailing Adventures - Smooth sailing and whale watching adventures out of Morro Bay Landing.

    Smooth sailing and whale watching adventures out of Morro Bay Landing.

    Maya Sailing Adventures - Cheers! A comfy spot aboard the Maya to drink and relax!

    Cheers! A comfy spot aboard the Maya to drink and relax!

    Maya Sailing Adventures - At the helm of Maya! Such a thrill!!

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    At the helm of Maya! Such a thrill!!

    Estero Bluffs State Park - hiking - Updated August 2026

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